"Really" by J.J. CALE – December 1972 US Second Album on Shelter Records - January 1973 in the UK on A&M Records featuring Mac Gayden, Norbert Putnam and Kenny Buttrey of Area Code 615, George Soule, Roger Hawkins and David Hood of The Muscle Shoals Swampers Rhythm Section with Vasser Clements, Charlie McCoy, Barry Beckett and more (June 2013 JAPAN-Only Universal SHM-CD Remaster In Mini LP Repro Card Sleeve Artwork with Booklet and Obi) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Got Me Soulin'..."

 

For an artist so beloved, revered and one who keeps getting rediscovered by subsequent generations who weren't even in the tummy of a yummy mummy in the Seventies – getting J.J. Cale on a decent CD Remaster can be summit of a nightmare – especially if you want whole albums.

 

Take his underrated and largely forgotten second LP outing "Really" originally released December 1972 on Shelter Records in the USA and January 1973 in the UK on A&M. After British vinyl reissues in June 1976 (Shelter/Island ISA 5003) and August 1983 on a mid-line Mercury Records PRICE 25 - it's history on UK digital is a tale of whatever we (owners of his catalogue) can get away with and missed reissue chances.

 

May 1990 saw a basic AAD-Mastered CD appear on Mercury 810 314-2 with goodish audio and in the truest sense of the word has remained that way ever since. By way of a proper remaster, June 1997 saw the superb 2CD compilation "Any Way The Wind Blows – The Anthology" on Mercury 532 901-2 (Barcode 731453290129). That 2CD set contained three tracks from "Really" - "Lies", "Changes" and "If You're Ever In Oklahoma" plus a genuine gem and surprise in an outtake - "Midnight in Memphis" which had been recorded at Muscle Shoals along with most all of the album in April 1972 and later had overdubs done in June 1976. To date – and along with five other Previously Unissued Tracks - that excellent outtake of 4:24 minutes is only available on "Any Way The Wind Blows – The Anthology". Which even in June 2022 – brings us to June 2013 and Japan for the whole album "Really"!

 

Fans and collectors salivate over Japanese CD Reissues/Remasters with damn good reason. They may not be as cheap as gull poop – but they're always special and invariably have the best sound and best packaging. And so it is with J.J. Cale and the eight cool albums he issued between 1971 and 1983 - "Really" being one of them. June 2013 saw Japan do proper remasters of all eight. To the details...

 

Released 26 June 2013 in JAPAN-Only - "Really" by J.J. CALE on Universal UICY-75627 (Barcode 4988005771582) is a SHM-CD Reissue (Super High Materials) and features Repro US Mini LP Card Sleeve Artwork. It plays out as follows (31:42 minutes):

 

1. Lies [Side 1]

2. Everything Will Be Alright

3. I'll Kiss The World Goodbye

4. Changes

5. Right Down Here

6. If You're In Oklahoma

7. Ridin' Home [Side 2]

8. Going Down

9. Soulin'

10. Playing In The Street

11. Mo Jo

12. Louisiana Women

Tracks 1 to 12 are his second album "Really" – released December 1972 in the USA on Shelter SW-8912 and January 1973 in the UK on A&M Records AMLS 68157. Produced by AUDIE ASHWORTH - it peaked at No. 92 in the USA (didn't chart UK). All Tracks by J.J. Cale expect "Going Down" by Don Nix and "Mo Jo" which is a version of the Muddy Waters Chess Records classic "Got My Mojo Working"

 

A SHM-CD doesn't require a special CD player to play it on (compatible on all machines) - nor does it need audiophile kit to hear the benefits. It's a new form of the CD format that picks up the nuances of the transfer better (top quality make). I own about 10 of them and they're uniformly superb. The Mini LP Repro Artwork (with a banded Obi Strip) uses the US embossed gold lettering sleeve of the original Shelter Records 1972 LP right down to the pasted on rear with song-by-song credits. The booklet is the usual 16-white pages of Japanese liner notes and a stab at the English lyrics - nothing to really get your teeth into and is admittedly disappointing.

 

SOUND:

His 2^nd platter is not the hiss-laden audio debacle his debut "Naturally" was/is – it has much better sound if not lesser tunes. Despite such solid back up from session legends like Mac Gayden, Norbert Putnam and Kenny Buttrey of Area Code 615, George Soule, Roger Hawkins and David Hood of The Muscle Shoals Swampers Rhythm Section, Fiddle Player for the Earl Scruggs Revue Vasser Clements, Charlie McCoy on Harmonica, Barry Beckett on Keyboards (and more) - there is a very definite feel that "Really" is that difficult second album after he had six or seven years to form the songs for his brilliant debut. But audio-wise, this CD is the best we are ever likely to get. To the Tulsa shuffling...

 

The second you play the Side 1 opener "Lies" – the electric piano, his guitar flicks and those voices/horns combined are all in yer face like never before. That accompanying rhythm guitar in the right channel is vying for your attention too as Muscle Shoals legends David Hood and Roger Hawkins lock in the backbeat on Bass and Drums. But then you hear muscle proper in the Bass and Shuffle Drums of "Everything Will Be Alright" – strong and thumping your speakers – and that Bobby Woods piano break like a Jazz album – wow. Gorgeous audio too on the deceptively cool how-can-you-put-me-through-these "Changes" – short at 2:20 minutes, but oh so sweet.

 

"Right Down Here" (she holds me) is a typical Cale groove – Swamp Boogie that chugs along and just gets in the pocket – great sessionmen like Mac Gayden on Lead Guitar with Roger Soule on Drums. Not so sure about the rapid-paced fiddle and shaker "If You're In Oklahoma" – even if Josh Graves puts in a stunning Dobro solo just when the Country shuffle needs it. 12 January 1973 and A&M Records UK put out "Lies" with "Ridin' Home" on the flipside as the album's lead-off 45-single – but AMS 7042 did no business. They tried again (no doubt after DJs flipped the single) 4 May 1973 by putting out AMS 7042 again, but this time with "Ridin' Home" on the A-side with "Lies" on the B-side instead – but its sexy shuffling didn't catch either. 

 

"Going Down" is pretty throwaway, but the sexy Tony Joe White groove of "Soulin'" has long been a Funky Rock poison of mine – Mac Gayden once again upping the unlawful hip-sway with a very cool Slide Guitar. There is some hiss for some on "Playing In The Street" – a frantic Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Country shuffler (Vasser Clements on Fiddle with Jimmy Capps on Guitar) where J.J. recalls a come and get me mama tale of kids playing in the heat. Cale shape-shifts an old R&B Morgan McKinleyfield lyric refrain with his got my "Mo Jo" working but it just don't work on you – it's fun feels like an LP filler rather than an original moment. The album ends on the treat-me-right "Louisiana Women" – ladies looking after wanderer J.J. as he breezes into town and their weed-packed jeans.

 

J.J. Cale was one of my audio heroes growing up - and his influence on Eric Clapton, Dire Straits and even John Mayer is undeniable. What a loss and what an artist. And damn the Japanese for being so good with these bloody things (I've also reviewed "5", "Okie" and "Troubadour") because I need all 8 of them now! My long-suffering bank manager will be pleased...

 

J.J. CALE albums 

In the June 2013 Japan-Only SHM-CD Reissue Series

 

1. Naturally (1971) on Universal UICY-75627 (Barcode 4988005771582)

2. Really (1972) on Universal UICY-75628 (Barcode 4988005771599)

3. Okie (1974) on Universal UICY-75629 (Barcode 4988005771605)

4. Troubadour (1976) on Universal UICY-75630 (Barcode 4988005771612)

5. "5" (1979) on Universal UICY-75631 (Barcode 4988005771629)

6. Shades (1981) on Universal UICY-75632 (Barcode 4988005771636)

7. Grasshopper (1982) on Universal UICY-75633 (Barcode 4988005771643)

8. No. 8 (1983) on Universal UICY-75634 (Barcode 4988005771650)